Dandona R, Dandona L, John R K, McCarty C A, Rao G N
International Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye Care, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad-500 034, India.
Bull World Health Organ. 2001;79(2):96-102. Epub 2003 Sep 18.
To assess the level of awareness of eye diseases in the urban population of Hyderabad in southern India.
A total of 2522 subjects of all ages, who were representative of the Hyderabad population, participated in the population-based Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study. Of these subjects, 1859 aged > 15 years responded to a structured questionnaire on cataract, glaucoma, night blindness and diabetic retinopathy to trained field investigators. Having heard of the eye disease in question was defined as "awareness" and having some understanding of the eye disease was defined as "knowledge".
Awareness of cataract (69.8%) and night blindness (60.0%) was moderate but that of diabetic retinopathy (27.0%) was low, while that of glaucoma (2.3%) was very poor. Knowledge of all the eye diseases assessed was poor. Subjects aged > or = 30 years were significantly more aware of all eye diseases assessed except night blindness. Multivariate analysis revealed that women were significantly less aware of night blindness (odds ratio (OR) = 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.63-0.97). Education played a significant role in awareness of these eye diseases. Study subjects of upper socioeconomic status were significantly more aware of night blindness (OR = 2.20; 95% CI = 1.29-3.74) and those belonging to upper and middle socioeconomic strata were significantly more aware of diabetic retinopathy (OR = 2.79; 95% CI = 2.19-3.56). Muslims were significantly more aware of cataract (OR = 2.36; 95% CI = 1.84-3.02) and less aware of night blindness (OR = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.42-0.64). The major source of awareness of the eye diseases was a family member/friend/relative suffering from that eye disease.
These data suggest that there is a need for health education in this Indian population to increase their level of awareness and knowledge of common eye diseases. Such awareness and knowledge could lead to better understanding and acceptance of the importance of routine eye examinations for the early detection and treatment of eye diseases, thereby reducing visual impairment in this population.
评估印度南部海得拉巴城市人口对眼部疾病的知晓水平。
共有2522名各年龄段、能代表海得拉巴人口的受试者参与了基于人群的安得拉邦眼部疾病研究。在这些受试者中，1859名年龄大于15岁的受试者对经过培训的现场调查员就白内障、青光眼、夜盲症和糖尿病视网膜病变问题进行了结构化问卷调查。听说过所讨论的眼部疾病被定义为“知晓”，对眼部疾病有一定了解被定义为“知识”。
白内障（69.8%）和夜盲症（60.0%）的知晓程度中等，但糖尿病视网膜病变（27.0%）的知晓程度较低，而青光眼（2.3%）的知晓程度非常低。所有评估的眼部疾病的知识水平都较差。年龄大于或等于30岁的受试者对除夜盲症外的所有评估眼部疾病的知晓程度明显更高。多变量分析显示，女性对夜盲症的知晓程度明显较低（优势比（OR）=0.78；95%置信区间（CI）=0.63 - 0.97）。教育在这些眼部疾病的知晓方面发挥了重要作用。社会经济地位较高的研究受试者对夜盲症的知晓程度明显更高（OR = 2.20；95% CI = 1.29 - 3.74），属于社会经济中上层的受试者对糖尿病视网膜病变的知晓程度明显更高（OR = 2.79；95% CI = 2.19 - 3.56）。穆斯林对白内障的知晓程度明显更高（OR = 2.36；95% CI = 1.84 - 3.02），对夜盲症的知晓程度较低（OR = 0.52；95% CI = 0.42 - 0.64）。眼部疾病知晓的主要来源是患有该眼部疾病的家庭成员/朋友/亲戚。
这些数据表明，在这个印度人群中需要进行健康教育，以提高他们对常见眼部疾病的知晓水平和知识。这种知晓和知识可以导致更好地理解和接受常规眼部检查对于眼部疾病早期检测和治疗的重要性，从而减少该人群中的视力损害。
